Road maintenance crews are unhappy about proposed changes to pay and conditions.

Amey said: “Amey is in discussion with a number of employees about potential changes to their working arrangements. We continue to listen to the views of staff involved, through workshops and one-to-one meetings.

“Affected employees will see their average hourly wage increase by 3%. They will also benefit from higher sick pay and more regular hours.”

Three unions – GMB, Unison and Unite – will face the Amey team across the negotiating table in a bid to avert an official strike ballot.

Amey Highways employs 200 staff based in depots across Hampshire at  Petersfield, Bishops Waltham, Totton  and Hook/Micheldever.

The firm signed a seven year contract with Hampshire County Council in 2008 to maintain Hampshire’s 5,000 miles of roads and footways and this began in 2008.

A one-year extension was signed earlier this year which will take the contract up to 2016.

The contract covers routine and planned maintenance of Hampshire’s highway network outside Portsmouth and Southampton plus winter gritting.

Adrian Baker, GMB regional officer, said “GMB members employed by Amey Highways Hampshire are joining ranks with their colleagues from Unite and Unison to defend their position on the cuts to pay and terms and conditions the contractor wants to impose.

“The company should be in no doubt that GMB members will seek to defend the Standard Operating Model, resist annualised hours and maintain their current contracted pay and benefits.

“It is the company which has created the position whereby members of the three largest unions in the UK have come together to oppose the proposals on the table.

“A consultative ballot of all union members working on highways has shown 100% support for industrial action.”